穆斯林开始一年一度的麦加朝圣

Nearly 2 million Muslims from around the world have begun the yearly hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia at Mecca, Islam\'s holiest site.

The faithful started the annual five-day ritual Sunday with walking counterclockwise around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure at the center of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, which Muslims believe is the spot where the Prophet Abraham built his first temple.

Observant Muslims around the world face toward the Kaaba during their five daily prayers.

During the hajj, devoted Muslims perform a series of religious rituals. In addition to walking around the Kaaba, they also drink the alkaline water from the Well of Zamzam, believed to have healing qualities. They also perform a symbolic stoning of the devil.

The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so are expected to take part in the hajj at least once in their lifetimes.

Saudi Arabia\'s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has urged pilgrims to think of their safety in hopes of preventing stampedes that in previous years have led to deaths. During the 2015 hajj, a stampede among pilgrims in the city of Mina, where some of the deadliest incidents have occurred, killed at least 2,426 people, according to the Associated Press.

The ministry on Sunday urged "brother and sister pilgrims" to pay attention to scheduling of rituals to avoid the dangers of overcrowding.

朝圣者星期天围绕着麦加大寺院中心的方型圣堂逆时针行走，开始了今年为期5天的朝圣活动。穆斯林人认为，先知亚卜拉欣在那里修建了他的第一座寺院。

世界各地的穆斯林会面朝麦加圣堂每天做5次祷告。

在朝圣期间，虔诚的穆斯林人会举行一系列的宗教仪式。除了围绕圣堂行走外，他们还会喝被认为具有治愈效果的、来自渗渗泉的碱水,并举行向恶魔投石的象征性仪式。

麦加朝圣是伊斯兰信仰五大支柱之一，所有力所能及的穆斯林人一生中应至少一次参与朝圣。

沙特阿拉伯主管相关事务的部门敦促朝圣者注意安全，以免发生往年出现过的致命踩踏事件。据美联社报道，2015年，米纳市在举行朝圣活动时发生的踩踏事件导致2400多人死亡。

沙特有关部门星期天敦促“兄弟姐妹朝圣者”注意各项仪式的时间，以免出现过于拥挤的危险。